TOKYO -- This year's Amusement Machine Show, scheduled for Sept. 8-10, could be canceled due to continuing problems caused by the recent natural disasters, according to a story in the Japan Times.

Because Tokyo continues to suffer rolling blackouts, the paper said, leading city officials to fear the city's power grid may not be able to supply enough power for games, lights and other electrical needs in the massive Makuhari Messe convention center where the trade show sponsored by the Japan Amusement Machinery Manufacturers Association is staged.

JAMMA officials currently have no plans to cancel or downsize the show, said the report. But events may dictate otherwise.

The earthquake and tsunami of March 11 killed more than 30,000 and triggered nuclear plant disasters, only to be followed by additional massive quakes. At presstime, aftershocks continue to rock the nation.

As reported earlier in Vending Times, Japan's leading videogame manufacturers and operators have delayed production on some titles and canceled others as a direct result of the emergencies.

According to the Japan Times, many game development studios have temporarily closed or suffered from rampant absenteeism as workers stay home, fearing more earthquakes.

The paper said since the quake, ongoing power failures and shortages have prevented Japanese children from playing videogames, implying that the some of the nation's arcades have been shuttered, as well as suggesting that many homes have not had enough electricity to run console videogames.